


The Traitor and the Great Lion

by devilinthedetails



Series: The Justified [1]
Category: Chronicles of Narnia (Movies), Chronicles of Narnia - All Media Types, Chronicles of Narnia - C. S. Lewis
Genre: Angst, Forgiveness, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Redemption
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-05
Updated: 2020-07-05
Packaged: 2021-03-05 06:28:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 406
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25079884
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/devilinthedetails/pseuds/devilinthedetails
Summary: Edmund and Aslan talk after Edmund has been rescued from the White Witch. Set during The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.
Series: The Justified [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1816363
Kudos: 10





	The Traitor and the Great Lion

The Traitor and the Great Lion

Rescued from death by the White Witch’s blade, Edmund stood before the Great Lion, awed by the glorious golden mane shining radiant as the noon sun. Remembering how he’d spat on the lion statue in the Witch’s castle courtyard, believing in his arrogant folly that the stone lion was the Aslan from the Beavers’ prophecy, he shivered. 

The lion he’d spat on hadn’t been Aslan, but that distinction didn’t seem to matter to him now that he was looking on Aslan with his own eyes. He’d believed that statue to be Aslan when he’d spat on it, so, for all intents and purposes, he’d spat on Aslan. 

He wanted to apologize, but the words stuck in his mouth like the dry bread the White Witch had forced him to eat when he was her captive. The sheer inadequacy of any apology he could offer in comparison to the gravity of his offense against his siblings and Aslan choked him with guilt and shame. 

It turned out he didn’t need to speak, because Aslan did. 

“You were a traitor, but you won’t always be known as such.” Aslan didn’t roar, and Edmund was grateful to be spared a sound he was certain would rattle his bones. “In the fullness of time, you will become known as Edmund the Just. Just as in justified not because of who you are, but because of who I am, and not because of what you’ve done, but because of the sacrifice I will make on your behalf.” 

“What sacrifice?” Edmund at last found the courage to look into the Great Lion’s eyes as he asked this question through cracked lips. He was surprised when he didn’t see the terrible judgement and righteous wrath he’d so feared in Aslan’s gaze but rather a boundless mercy and compassion for Edmund’s suffering. 

“You will know and understand when the time is right for you to know and understand.” Aslan’s answer was firm and final but not cruel as Edmund deserved after the crime he had committed. 

“Oh.” Edmund had a sudden itch to nervously scratch his earlobe but restrained himself with the thought that this might be irreverent behavior before the Great Lion. “Why would you sacrifice anything for me?” 

“Because I love you.” Aslan breathed on Edmund, making him feel so warm inside that he imagined he’d never be cold again. “Soon you’ll discover just how much.”


End file.
